The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for preparing the terminal ends of communications lines for interconnection and, more particularly, relates to such cleaners and methods for cleaning the end face of an optical fiber to be connected with another optical fiber or an optoelectronic device.
In optical fiber communications, it is important that the optical fibers provide exceptional optical transmission characteristics. Points of connection of optical fibers to other optical fibers or devices are particularly susceptible to conditions that distort or hamper optical capabilities. Also, the axes of optical fibers, particularly when the optical fibers are situated in grooves, are susceptible to the conditions. Optical characteristics are disturbed, for example, by dust, smoke, dirt, and other extraneous materials that become located on surfaces of the optical fibers, particularly the end faces of the fibers where optical connections are made and along the axes of fibers.
It has been shown that desirable fiber optic connections can be made using connector devices formed with fiber-alignment grooves. Examples of such devices and connections are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/664,039, pending, filed on Jul. 25, 1996, titled "Active Device Receptacle"; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/801,058, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,031, (Attorney Docket No. 53184USA3A) filed on Feb. 14, 1997, of Sidney J. Berglund, et al., titled "Fiber Optic Connector Spring"; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/577,740, filed on Dec. 22, 1995, of Barbara L. Birrell, et al., titled "Optical Fiber Connector Using Fiber Spring Force and Alignment Groove". With such devices, optic fiber connections are made with bare fiber ends located and aligned in grooves, which are, for example, V-shaped grooves. An end of an optical fiber to be connected is placed into a groove, and the end progresses along the groove until the end face abuts the end face of another optical fiber or an optical sensor of an optoelectronic device. It is apparent that the optical transmission capabilities of the optical fiber will depend upon the suitability of the end face connection, among other factors.
Thus, the cleanliness of the optical fiber end face to be connected with an abutting end face of another optical fiber or optical device has great significance to the optical performance of the connection. If the optical fiber end face is covered with extraneous matter, light passing through the end face is distorted and/or restricted by the extraneous matter. Further, separation of fiber end face contact because of such matter causes unwanted reflection In this regard, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/660,644 (Attorney Docket No. 52353USA5A), filed on Jun. 7, 1996, of Larry R. Cox, et al., titled "Fiber Optic Cable Cleaner", provides a device for cleaning the tip of an optical fiber retained in a connector. It would be an advantage to provide other systems and methods for cleaning optical fiber end faces and axes in order to obtain desired optical performance by optical fiber connections. Other desirable advantages of such systems and methods could include that disassembly is not required to conduct the cleaning operations. Therefore what is needed are systems and methods for cleaning the end faces of optical fibers, which end faces are contained within plugs and housings, such as those shown in the related applications and the other applications mentioned herein. Embodiments of the present invention provide such systems and methods for cleaning end faces of optical fibers to provide exceptional optical connection characteristics. The invention, thus, improves optical performance of optical fiber connections and simplifies cleaning operations.